1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a buckle. In more particular, the present invention relates to a double locking buckle including a plug member and a socket member, which are mounted on free end portions of a belt or a strap attached to various articles such as clothes, bags, and helmets and detachably coupled with each other such that they are not unintentionally separated from each other due to the impact or the collision.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a buckle serves as a fastening member in which two members are fixedly coupled with each other and easily detachable from each other. The fastening member is manufactured by integrally molding a plastic material to enable the elastic coupling.
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing one example of a typical buckle according to the related art. The buckle includes a plug member 10 and a socket member 20.
Although not shown in FIG. 1, the plug member 10 has a pair of lock arms 12 that linearly protrude from a base 11 of a body and have elasticity. Coupling parts protrude outward of front ends of the lock arms 12, respectively. Locking rods 13 linearly extend longitudinally from the base 11 between the lock arms 12. The socket member 20 has an open chamber 21 extending from a front end thereof to receive the plug member 10, and has a pair of holes 22 facing each other at both sidewalls thereof, so that the lock arms 12 are elastically coupled with the holes 22.
If a user inserts the plug member 10 into the socket member 10 from the entrance of the front end of the socket member 10 through the chamber 21, outer surfaces of the paired lock arms 12 formed at both sides of the plug member slide along inner sidewalls of the socket member 20 while being elastically bent to the inside of the socket member 20. When end portions of the lock arms 12 are positioned in the paired holes 22, the lock arms 12 elastically return to the outside while being seated, so that the plug member 10 is coupled with the socket member 10.
However, if the buckle in the assembled state receives a strong impact from the outside, the lock arms are inwardly bent, so that the lock arms may be unintentionally separated from each other. If the buckle is applied to an assembly requiring a secrete or security, for example, a belt used to receive weapons such as guns, or bags or other attachments used in a dangerous situation, the buckle is unintentionally released as described above, thereby causing a very emergency situation or an accident.
In order to solve the above problem, a buckle having a security function has been suggested as shown in FIG. 2. Regarding the buckle having the security function, the buckle includes the plug member 10 and the socket member 20. The lock arms 12 of the plug member 10 are inserted into the chamber 21 of the socket member 20, and elastically coupled with the holes 22 formed in both lateral sides of the socket member 20, so that the plug member 10 is assembled with the socket member 20.
In addition, the plug member 10 is additionally provided at the intermediate portion thereof with a locking member 30 which is elastically biased upward to elastically operate up and down, and a pressing button 31 operating integrally with the locking member 30 is provided adjacent to the locking member 30. A locking hole 25 communicating with a chamber is formed at one end of the socket member 20 in a position corresponding to the locking member 30 when the plug member 10 is completely coupled with the socket member 20.
Accordingly, when the plug member 10 is inserted into the socket member 20 and coupled with the socket member 20, the lock arms 12 and the locking member 30 of the plug member 10 are fixedly coupled with the socket member 20 doubly. In order to separate the plug member 10 from the socket member 20, the coupling state between the lock arms 12 and the holes 22 must be released by pressing the lock arms 12 of the plug member 10 from both outsides, and the coupling state between the locking member 30 and the locking hole 25 must be released by pressing the pressing button 31, so that the plug member 10 can be separated from the socket member 20.
However, although the buckle shown in FIG. 2 is doubly locked to prevent the buckle from being released due to the external strong tensile force when comparing with the buckle of FIG. 1, a user must use two hands thereof in order to release the double locking of the buckle shown in FIG. 2.
In addition, since the socket member shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a shape of a box with a chamber therein, the box of the socket member may be broken due to the external impact. In particular, the socket member shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is unsuitable for security.